Method of and apparatus for drawing wire



June 11, 1940.v A. slMoNs METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FORy DRAWING WIRE Filed Feb. 26,1958

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 S R Y m m w N o E o v m T m. m N .wvNTwH QM N www NN NN .m M IML Q MN M d A. I b 1- *l H. a i Y v B i f III 4 QN .NS' ww @L n June 11, 1940. A, slMQNs 2,203,751

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE Filed Feb. ze, 193e 2 sheets-sneer 2 1N VENT OR. abraham Simons ATTORNEY.

Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES METHOD F AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE Abraham Simons, New York, N. Y.

Application February 26, 1938, Serial No. 192,706

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved method of drawing wire and other material and a new and improved apparatus for this purpose. One, of the objects of the invention is to cool and cleanse the surface of the wire or other material effectively, either prior to the first drawing operation, or subsequent to the iirst drawing operation, or in any intermediate stage.

Another object of the invention is to improve the lubrication of the wire or other material prior to and during the drawing operation, in the rst stage or in any subsequent stage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of drawing dies which are arranged in a gang or series, and to lubricate the wire or other material effectively, by means of lubricant under pressure, intermediate a pair of successive dies.

Another object of the invention isto provide 2o two or more dies whose axes are coincident or non-coincident, so that the force which is required for pulling the `wire or the like through an anterior die. produces a resistance to the pulling of the wire through a succeeding die. j

Another object is to improve the drawing of a wire, strip, or the like which is made of hard material, so as to diminish the hardening which results from the drawing operation. i

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method whereby the lubricant can escape freely from the apparatus, under little or no pressure, after the lubricant has lubricated and cleansed the surface of thewire.

Other objects of the invention are stated in the following description and drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, it being understood that the above statement of the objects of my invention is intended generally to explain the same without limiting it in any n manner.

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view showing apparatus made according t'o one embodiment of the invention. y

, Fig. 2 is an end view taken at the right-hand 5 side of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is anend elevation taken at the righthand side of Fig. 4, which shows a. second embodiment of the invention.

- Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line I-I of 5o Fig. 3.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a holder I, which can be made of steel or other suitable material. Said holder is provided withV a tapered bore I5, whose internal diameter decreases towards the outlet end ofthe device.

Fig. 1 shows the wire W and the longitudinal arrows indicate the direction of movement of the wire through the apparatus.

The wire is pulled through the dies whicha're located in the holder I, or which are assembled with the holder I, by means of any suitable pulling device which is located at the right-hand side of the holder I and which is exteriorto the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. This pulling or draft device may be of a Well known type, so that it 10 is not shown in the drawings.

An inlet pipe 4 communicates with said bore I5, and an outlet pipe 5 communicates with a longitudinal outlet channel I2 which is formed in said holder I. A portion of the wall of channel 15 I2 is provided with a recess. This is because the pipe 5 is threaded in a transverse bore which is formed in the wall of the holder, lby means of a drill, and said drill forms said recess. However, said recess plays no part in the operation of the 20 device.

Nozzle members 1 and Il are locatedat the opposite ends of the central or axial bore I5. The diameters of the cylindrical portions of the bores of these nozzle members are preferably greater ,25 than the thickness of the wire which passes through said nozzle members, so that a slight clearance is provided between the cylindrical portions of the bores of the nozzle members 1 and 8 and the adjacent portion of the wire W. 0

The nozzle member 1 is provided with a suitable number of transverse channels or bores 9, I which communicate with the recess II. Said recess I I communicates with the channel I2. A nut or plug 2 is threaded into the inlet end of 35 the holder I.4 Said nut 2 clamps in position a die 6, which may have a nib 6a. This nib 6a may be made of any suitable material, such as the well known tungsten carbide material.

The nib 6a may constitute rst drawing means, 40 although it need not reduce the wire, as later `stated herein. The member 6 abuts the adjacent 'end ofthe member 1, so that the nut 2v rmly clamps the members 6 and 1 in position.

in function to the nozzle member 1. Said member 8 is provided with four or more transverse 55 bores I 0 which are inclined rearwardly and which communicate with the recess I4. Said recess I4 communicates with the outlet channel I2. A die member I1, having a nib I6, is clamped against the adjacent end of the member 8 by means of a second `nut 3. The nut 3 is provided with a. knurled head 3a and with recesses 3b which are similar in function to the recesses 2b.

A llowable lubricant ort a liquid of any kind is supplied under pressure through the pipe 4 to the bore I5. Said liquid may be any suitable liquid lubricant, of the type which is generally used for lubricating wire, during the drawing operation. Said lubricants include various soaps and other ingredients such as tallow 'and the like. Said lubricantsmay be liquid at ordinary room temperature.

The lubricant may be supplied through the pipe 4 at any suitable pressure and I place no limitation as to the amount of pressure which may be used. The pressure may be as low as ten pounds per square inch, and it may be as high as thirty pounds per square inch and even higher.

A suitable solid lubricant is preferably supplied to the surface of the wire, anterior the member 6a, but it is not necessary to supply said solid lubricant.

The member 6a may exert the usual reducing action upon the wire in the rst pass, or it may exert no drawing action at all, or it may reduce the wire less than is customary in the i'lrst pass according to standard practice. This member 6a may serve merely to prevent the escape of the lubricant through the bore of the member 20. It also frictionally retards the feed 0f the wire through nib I6, so as to exert a back pull on the wire. It is sufIicient if the wire W merely has a fairly close t within the bore of the member 6a, so as to prevent the escape of lubricant backward through the inlet end of the device.

The operation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is as follows:

When the wire is pulled throughthe apparatus, it is reduced in thickness or diameter by the nib I6. The member I6 may be a diamond or it may be made of tungsten carbide material or of any material.

I can use an ordinary steel die, if desired.

While the wire is being drawn, lubricant under pressure is supplied to the bore I5 through the pipe 4. The liquid lubricant tends to flow forwardly and rearwardly, relative to the direction of movement of the wire. 'I'his lubricant thoroughly washes and cleanses the exterior of the wire from bits of metal, dirt and the like. Likewise, if the wire has been drawn to a certain extent by passing through the member 6a., the liquid lubricant washes off the particles of metal which are formed by the drawing operation.

Sometimes the reducing action of a die forms a fine metallic dust upon the surface of the wire and it sometimes forms little metal slivers on the surface of the wire, and these are thoroughly washed 01T and removed by the liquid lubricant. The liquid lubricant passes between the wall of the narrow part of the bore of the member 'I and the surface of the Wire with great velocity and it exerts great scouring force, because the space thus provided is extremely narrow.

As soon as the lubricant passes into the wider part of the bore of the member 1, its velocity diminishes. The lubricant cannot escape through the bore of the member 6a, or at least the escape of the liquid lubricant can be ignored for practical purposes because of the close iit between the wire and the wall of the bore of the member 6a.

'I'he lubricant passes through the transverse bores 9 into the recess II and channel I2 and out through the pipe 5. The bores 9 are preferably perpendicular to the axis of the wire.

The lubricant which passes out of the narrow end of the bore I5 likewise passes with great force and velocity between the narrow part of the bore of the member 6 and the surface of the wire and 4said lubricant is then rearwardly directed through the bores I0 into the recess I4. Hence the lubricant can flow freely out of the apparatus, directly anterior the nib I6, and also directly behind nib 6a, so that the flowing lubricant merely cleanses the wire at said points, and it also cleanses the approach or the inlet end of member I6. It also cools the axial part of member I6 and of member 6a. The lubricant enters the channel I2 and passes out through the pipe 5. The escape of the lubricant through member I6 is negligible, although some of the lubricant is carriedthrough member I6 by the wire, so that the wire is effectively lubricated.

Hence, the wire is thoroughly cleased and cooled and lubricated before it is reduced by the member I6, and the dies are also eifectively cooled.

'I'he bore of the member 6a can be designed so as to impose a frictional drag upon the wire, which is equivalent to a back pull upon the wire when it is drawn in the member I6. If there is f Ihe back draft or back pull which is produced by the member 6a can be Varied as desired.

The back pull may be equal to about 75% o1' the elastic limit of the reduced wire which passes out of the member I6.

'I'he invention is particularly useful in making wire from so-called stainless steel, and in drawing hard wires made of ,hard alloys, such as hard bronze or phosphor bronze, and in drawing nickelchromium wire which is used for making electrical resistances and the like, and in making music wire. This music wire is generally used in making fine springs.`

The drawings are approximately to scale although the dimensions are about 11/2 times greater than the actual dimensions.

In drawing stainless steel wire, it is ordinarily necessary to anneal the wire after about six passes or seven passes, in sizes of the kind described, because the stainless steel Wire hardens very quickly.

According to the improved method, it is possible to have ten passes or even more before it is necessary to anneal the wire. Likewise, the life of the die I6 is greatly increased, especially if it is a "F tively to the outlet side and to the inlet side of a suitable pump, so that the lubricant is pumped continuously through a closed path, with little or no loss. This pump is not illustrated in the drawings as devices of `this type are well known perse.

Likewise the lubricant may be passed through filters or the like, in order to remove impurities therefrom.

Since the lubricant contacts directly with the wire, intermediate the members 1 and 8. a substantial cooling effect is secured. The back-pull and the cleaning of wire make it possible lto diminish the annealing. f

\ suitable low temperature.

The lubricant which is forced into the apparatus through thepipe 4 may be cooled to any A cooling liquid or uid of any kind may thus be forced through the apparatus, so as to cool the wire and the dies by direct contact anterior the first drawing operation, or between drawing operations.

Inutilizing the method, the speed of movement of the wire through the nib I6 may be as high as two hundred and iifty feet per minute, and the flow oflubricant through the apparatus may be about two gallons per minute.

The liquid which is forced through the apparatus need not necessarily be a lubricant, because a valuable feature of the invention is the cooling of the wire and of the die or dies.

The liquid which islocated at the anterior end of the die or nib I6 is caused to flow reversely away therefrom, through the rearwardly inclined bores I0, into the recess I4, so as to prevent the wire from carrying the fine particles which pass through the member 8, through said member I6. While I have given a practical working example in order to explain the invention thoroughly to a skilled person, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific example or to the figures stated herein, as these are given merely by way of illustration.

The diameter of the cylindrical wall portion of the member 1 may be about .056 inch if the Wire which passes through said cylindrical wall portion has a diameter of .028 inch. Hence the clearance is .014 inch.

A very vigorous scrubbing action is thus secured by the flowing liquid or fluid, at saidA cylindrical wall portions. I can force air through pipe 4, or use air to atomize a lubricant which can be `sprayed into bore I5. Any inert gas or any gas can be used for this purpose.

In utilizing the apparatus, the longitudinal axis thereof is preferably horizontal although the invention is not restricted tc-thisgposition of said longitudinal axis. Y

I do not wish to be limited to a cylindrical contour of any portions of the bores of the members 1 and 8, as it is sufficient if the walls of the bores of said members 1 and 8 are sufficiently close to l the wire to secure a `scrubbing action, whereby ne particles are substantially removed from the wire, after or prior to a drawing operation.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the wire W is pulled through the apparatus from right to left. The device of Fig. 4 may be used in the last pass or in any intermediate pass. Said device can be assembled in the die room and inserted into the holder at the drawing bench. Likewise, said device can be turned around the longitudinal axis of holder 20, in order to cast" the wire, that is, to keep the wire straight in order to coil the wire in a perfect circle on the wind-up reel.

Fig. 3 shows an outer holder 20, made of any suitable` metal. 'Ihis has an integral base 2|.

The bore ofthe holder is tapered so that the ,exit end or left-hand end thereof is of smaller `section. An insert or inner holder 22, which is a metal sleeve, has an outer wall of frusta-conical shape winch fits tightly in the bore of the holder 20, so as to prevent the lubricant from escaping between the outer and inner holders. The pull of the wire therefore operates to seat the inner holder 22 firmly in the outer holder 20. However, the inner holder, or sleeve 22 is freely turnable around the common longitudinal axis of said sleeve 22 and of said holder 28. Therefore, if the wire does not come out of the apparatus straight, the sleeve 22 can be turned so as to produce straight wire. 'Ihe inner wall of the inlet end of the sleeve 22 is threaded, so that a plug 23 can be screwed into position. 'Ihis plug has a knurled outer end. This plug 23 has a guide member 24, made ofany suitable metal. Said guide member 24 has a tapered bore, so as to guide the moveexert any drawing action so that the wire is not reduced in passing through the member 24. The outer wall of member 24 is tapered reversely to the taper of the bore of the outer holder 28. The wire now passesv through a rst die 25, which may be a diamond die or a die of any suitable type. This die 25 is held in a suitable holder 26 which is made of any suitable metal. The members 25 and 26 may be of any conventional type.

The left-hand end-wall of the member 26 abuts a part of the adjacent wall of a first metal cylinder 21, which fits snuglyin the cylindrical bore of the sleeve 22.

The member21 can be made from a cylindrical Vblank having planar end-faces, by forming the bore 28, then forming a recess in each end-face so that each-recess communicates with the bore, and then milling each end-face so as to provide two diametral slots or grooves which are perpendicular or inclined to each other. Said slots extend to the outer circular edge of each end-face. Hence member 26 has its planar end-face abutting the adjacent planar end-face of member 21, save where the end-face of member 21 is interrupted by theslots.

The metal cylinder 21 abuts an identical metal cylinder 21a, along a plane which is defined by reference line L in Fig. 4. Since the members 21 and 21a are identical, the same parts are indicated by the same reference numerals. Each member 21 and 21a is provided with a tapered axial bore 28. Each end wall of each said member 21 and 21a is provided with a recess 29 of circular shape. Each end-face of each said member 21 and 21a is also provided with four radial grooves or depressions 30 which communicate with the recessses 29. Said grooves or recesses 30 may be of semi-circular or semi-elliptical cross-section and they are separated by arcs of ninety degrees. Each end-face of each said member 21 and 21a is also provided at its circular edge with an annular recess 3|, which communicates with said radial grooves 30. The outer wall of sleeve 22 has an annular groove 34, and said sleeve 22 has a bore 35.

In operating the device shown in Fig. 4, lubricant is forced under suitable pressure through the pipe 4. The lubricant enters the continuous annular groove 34,- and said lubricant then passes through the bore into the continuous annular passage Awhich is formed by the recesses 3| of the adjacent end-faces of members 21 and 21a and `ment of the wire W. The member 24 does not into the radial channels which are formed by the cooperating grooves 30 at the adjacent faces of the members 21 and 21a. Said ygrooves 30 may register in pairs at the adjacent faces of members 21 and 21a, but this is not necessary. The lubricant then enters a chamber which is formed by the recesses 29 of the adjacent faces of the members 21 and 21a. The lubricant then passes through the oppositely tapered bores 28 in a direction which is parallel to the direction of movement of the wire W, and also in a direction which is opposed to said direction of movement of the wire. As the lubricant passes through the narrow parts of the bores 28 with considerable velocity, it scours the wire after the Wire has passed through the first die 25 and before the wire has passed through the second die 32. A t the righthand side ofthe member 21, the lubricant passes through the respective radial grooves 30.

The' inner wall of sleeve 22 has a continuous annular recess which registers with the continuous annular recess 3| at the right-hand end-face of member 21, so as to form a channel which communicates with the adjacent radial grooves 30. The sleeve 22 has a bore which communicates with said channel and with a continuous annular recess which is formed in the outer wall of sleeve 22. The wall of the outlet channel 50 has a bore 55 which communicates with said recess. Hence the lubricant can enter outlet channel l) even if sleeve 22 and the parts therein are turned around the longitudinal axis of the device.

A bore 56, similar to bore 55, permits the lubricant which has passed through the bore of member 21 to enter said outlet channel 50.

The liquid is under little or no pressure in recesses 29 and grooves 30. Fig. 4' is also according to scale.

The holder 20 and the sleeve 22 cany be formed into the shape shown in Fig. 4, by means of a series of drilling operations. The channel 50 can be readily formed by means of a drill, and its outer end can be closed by means of a plug 5|. A drill can then be used so as to form bores 55 and 56. The corresponding openings in the'wall of channel 5|) are closed by additional plugs 5I.

'I'he nib 32 which may be a diamond or which may be made of other suitable material, is mounted in a metal holder 33, which abuts the adjacent inner end-Wall of the inner holder 22.

Hence the inner holder 22 can be assembled with all the parts located therein, and said inner holder 22 can be inserted into outer holder 20, at

the draw-bench.

In order to give a practical example, the wire which enters nib 25 may have a thickness of diameter of .028 inch. It is reduced to a thickness of .,025 inch in passing throughv nib 25, and it is further reduced to a thickness of .0225 inch in passing through nib 32.

While I have shown complete and operative embodiments, I do not wish to be limited to the details thereof and the invention includes numerous valuable sub-combinatio-ns which can be incorporated in apparatus which is wholly different from the apparatus disclosed herein.

As one of the features of the invention the wire is subjected to the cleansing action of a moving body of fluid anterior a drawing operation. This fluid is preferably a liquid lubricant. 'I'his current of fluid preferably moves into and through a chamber in which the wire is located. In another aspect of the invention said chamber is located intermediate a pair of dies, in which the wire is reduced in a succession of passes.

While I have shown a holder having a single pair of dies, the holder may have either two dies or more. Likewise the invention is not limited necessarily to a holder having a plurality of dies.

In order to specify the invention clearly in the claims, in referring to Fig. 1, it may be assumed that the members l and 1 and v8, together with the members 6 and I1, are shaped so as to form a chamber which is intermediate the dies 6a. and' I6. Said chamber communicates with the bores of said dies 6a. and I8 so that wire can be led through the first die 6a, then through said chamber, and then through the die I6. Said chamber has an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 which is independent of the bores of said dies Ga'and I6. Said chambers have portions thereof formed with small bores, so that the fluid which passes through said chamber exerts the desired scouring effect. Said chamber is shaped so that the pressure of the fluid is sufficiently small adjacent the dies 8a and I6, in order to prevent any substantial leakage of the fluid through said dies 6a and I6. The fluid which enters said chambers ows out of the same in two opposed directions, each directions having a component which is parallel to the direction of movement of the wire. In the particular embodiment disclosed, said directions are parallel to said directions of movement. After exerting their scouring effect the components of the fluid enter the outlet. The fluid which flows in the same direction as the movement of the wire fiows towards said outlet, in a direction away from the outlet die I5. The same is true of Fig. 4. Therefore the body of lubricant which enters through the pipe 4 can be considered as, being divided into a first part which moves in the direction of movement of the wire, and a second part which moves in a direction which is opposed to saiddirection; The first part of the body of lubricant is moved away from the die I8 through the members I0, in a first zone which is anterior said die I6. The scouring action takes place in a second zone which comprises` the narrow part of the bore of the nozzle 8. Said second zone is anterior the first zone and the velocity of the lubricant in the second zone is greater than the velocity of the lubricant in the first zone. The lubricant may be a liquid of any type or kind, or it may consist of material of any kind which is non-liquid at ordinary temperatures but which can be caused to ow through the device during the operation thereof.

I claim:

1. In the art of drawing wire through a die which has a bore having a longitudinal axis, those steps which consist in contacting the wire, anterior the die, with a moving body of lubricant while moving a first part of said body of lubricant under pressure in the direction of movement of the wire and moving a second part of said body of lubricant under pressure in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the wire, moving the first part of said body of lubricant away from the die in a first zone which is anterior the die and in a direction which is inclined to said axis, and scouring the wire with said lubricant anterior said first zone in a second zone, the velocity of the lubricant being greater in the second zone than in the first zone.

2. In the art of drawing wire through a die which has a bore having a longitudinal axis,

those steps which consist in contacting the wire,

anterior the die, with a moving body of lubricant which is moved towards said die, moving the lubricant away from the die in a rst zone which is anterior the die and in a direction which is inclined to said axis, scouring the wire with said lubricant in a second zone which is anterior the first zone, the velocity of the lubricant in the second zone being greater than the velocity thereof in the rst zone.

3. Wire drawing apparatus comprising a holder having an inlet and an outlet, a die located in said outlet, a part of said holder forming a chamber which is located anterior said die, so that a wire can be drawn successively through said chamber and then through said die, said chamber having a rst zone thereof anterior said die and having a second zone thereof anterior the rst zone,.the bore of the second zone being smaller than the bore of the rst zone, the bore of the second zone being sufiiciently small so that when lubricant is forced through the same said lubricant will scour the respective portion of the wire, said chamber having an inlet which is anterior the second zone, the first zone having an outlet so that when lubricant is forced through the inlet, said lubricant is forced successively through the second zone and into the rst zone towards the die and said lubricant then ows out of the rst zone in a direction away from the die.

4. Wire drawing apparatus comprising a holder having an inlet and an outlet, a rst die located at said inlet and asecond die located at said outlet, said holder forming a chamber which is located intermediate said dies and which communicates with said dies, so `that a wire can be drawn successively through the inlet die and thenthrough said chamber and then through the outlet die, said chamber having a first zone anterior the outlet die and a second zone located anterior the rst zone, said chamber also having a third zone immediately succeeding the'inlet die and a fourth zone immediately succeeding the third zone, the second and fourth zones `being spaced from each other, said'chamber having an inlet which is located intermediate the second zone and the fourth zone, the third and rst zones respectively having outlets which are directed away from their respective associated dies, the bores of the second zone and of the fourth zone being sufficiently small to cause lubricant which is forced through the same to exert a scouring action on the respective portions of the wire, the bore of the first zone and of its outlet being greater than the bore of the second zone, the borevof the third zone and of its outlet being greater than the bore of the fourth zone, so that when the lubricant flows respectively out of the first zone and out of the third zone, its velocity is less than the vvelocity of the lubricant respectively in the second zone and in the fourth Zone.

ABRAHAM SIMONS. 

